The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electronic modules, and more particularly, to interconnect members for electrically connecting an electronic module to a printed circuit.
Competition and market demands have continued the trend toward smaller and higher performance (e.g., faster) electronic systems. To achieve such reduced sized and higher performance systems, electronic modules have become more complex. For example, electronic modules are being designed to switch more and more driver and receiver circuits at higher and higher speeds. Examples of electronic modules include chips, packages, processors, microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), memories, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), and/or the like. Electronic modules are typically mounted on printed circuits (sometimes referred to as “circuit boards” or “printed circuit boards”) within a larger, or host, electronic system.
Electronic modules may suffer from unintended direct current (DC) coupling between the electronic module and other components of the larger system, such as another electronic module. For example, driver and receiver circuits of the electronic module and the other component may be unintentially DC coupled. Unintentional DC coupling can negatively impact electrical performance of the electronic system. For example, unintentional DC coupling may generate noise along the signal paths of the electronic system. Unintentional DC coupling may be particularly troublesome for electronic systems that transmit high speed (e.g., above approximately 1 gigabits per second (Gbps)) differential signals.
One technique for blocking DC coupling between the electronic module and other components of the electronic system includes positioning discrete DC blocking components (e.g., capacitors) within the signal paths of the printed circuit on which the electronic module is mounted. However, only a limited amount of space is available on the printed circuit on which the electronic module is mounted. For example, due to the increased demand for smaller electronic packages and higher signal transmission speeds, printed circuits may not have room for discrete DC blocking components. Moreover, adding discrete DC blocking components within the signal paths of the printed circuit may negatively impact the electrical performance of the printed circuit. For example, the DC blocking components may necessitate a less than optimal relative arrangement of the various signal paths along the printed circuit, which may add noise and/or reduce signal transmission rates along the signal paths. Moreover, parasitic inductance, capacitance, resistance, and/or the like of the discrete DC blocking components may also negatively impact the electrical performance of the printed circuit on which the electronic module is mounted.
Another technique for blocking DC coupling between an electronic module and other components of a larger electronic system includes positioning discrete DC blocking components within an electrical connector that electrically connects the printed circuit on which the electronic module is mounted to the other component. But, DC blocking components located within such electrical connectors may not be close enough to the electronic module to be effective to block DC coupling between the electronic module and the other component of the larger system.